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Vogel likes what McRoberts, Hansbrough offer/Indystar

They come from opposite sides of college basketball's biggest rivalry.

They're different players, with different skills; one is a bull in the paint, the other is an elegant passer.
How well they share the power forward position may help determine how the reconfigured Indiana Pacers finish the season.
Pacers interim coach Frank Vogel has decided both Josh McRoberts and Tyler Hansbrough will play significant minutes the rest of the season.
When Jim O'Brien was coach, McRoberts started, but his minutes varied considerably. McRoberts could sit for long stretches when O'Brien went to a small lineup that had leading scorer Danny Granger at power forward.
Hansbrough's playing time fluctuated wildly, too. He played more than 12 minutes only once in December. He never played fewer than 15 minutes each game in January.
Vogel changed all that.
"He basically said he's going to stick with us," McRoberts said.
The Pacers, who face Portland tonight at home, have won their two games under Vogel.
Hansbrough, just back from pneumonia, is averaging 13.5 points and seven rebounds in those two games.
McRoberts is averaging 6.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and two assists per game. He has had five games of five or more assists, and works well with Granger and starting center Roy Hibbert.
"I just want to win," McRoberts said. "I don't care if I start or come off the bench. It doesn't matter -- whatever gives us the best chance to win. I feel I give us a good chance just by facilitating, getting Danny his shots, getting Roy the ball inside, and I'll score when I need to."
Vogel is starting McRoberts -- although he said Hansbrough would start against some opponents -- and likes Hansbrough as the low-post scorer with the second unit.
Vogel wants them to play about equal minutes, with variances due to opponents or situations.
"He's definitely using our strengths," Hansbrough said. "A lot of people look at the power forward position on this team and think it's a weakness. The way Josh and I run the floor, you don't see that every night.
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"I don't really think it's competing for a starting spot. I think we do different things, and different rotations require different people."
Vogel wants the 6-10 McRoberts and 6-9 Hansbrough crashing the offensive glass because they have the speed to get back defensively, unlike slow big men who, if they don't get the offensive rebound, leave a team short-handed defensively.
Offensively, Vogel has a plan for each.
"We want Tyler to be a low-post scorer, a pick-and-pop guy, a pick-and-roll guy, a guy with that scoring mentality," Vogel said. "Josh is almost a genius-level passer, so we want him facilitating things and making everyone else better."
Coming from opposite sides of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry doesn't mean much at this point. McRoberts, in his fourth year in the NBA after a strong run with the Blue Devils, and Hansbrough, the former Tar Heels superstar who is in his second pro season, were in college together for two years. But they didn't often go head-to-head.
And it's not as if the Duke and North Carolina players hate each other.
"The whole rivalry is fan stuff," McRoberts said. "I never had a problem with the other players. We're all basketball players."
Neither McRoberts nor Hansbrough recalled an unpleasant moment or play against the other from college.
"We're Pacers now," Hansbrough said. "I've got a lot of pride for Carolina, I'll tell you that. I'm not going to back down from anybody when they talk about North Carolina, but Josh and I don't really talk trash about Duke and North Carolina.
"People have to realize, they may have rival schools, but this is Duke and Carolina. People said the Big Ten has big rivals or the Big 12. I don't care what conference you're talking, there are no rivals like North Carolina and Duke."

"I don't really think it's competing for a starting spot. I think we do different things, and different rotations require different people."

Vogel wants the 6-10 McRoberts and 6-9 Hansbrough crashing the offensive glass because they have the speed to get back defensively, unlike slow big men who, if they don't get the offensive rebound, leave a team short-handed defensively.
Offensively, Vogel has a plan for each.
"We want Tyler to be a low-post scorer, a pick-and-pop guy, a pick-and-roll guy, a guy with that scoring mentality," Vogel said. "Josh is almost a genius-level passer, so we want him facilitating things and making everyone else better."
Coming from opposite sides of the Duke-North Carolina rivalry doesn't mean much at this point. McRoberts, in his fourth year in the NBA after a strong run with the Blue Devils, and Hansbrough, the former Tar Heels superstar who is in his second pro season, were in college together for two years. But they didn't often go head-to-head.
And it's not as if the Duke and North Carolina players hate each other.
"The whole rivalry is fan stuff," McRoberts said. "I never had a problem with the other players. We're all basketball players."
Neither McRoberts nor Hansbrough recalled an unpleasant moment or play against the other from college.
"We're Pacers now," Hansbrough said. "I've got a lot of pride for Carolina, I'll tell you that. I'm not going to back down from anybody when they talk about North Carolina, but Josh and I don't really talk trash about Duke and North Carolina.
"People have to realize, they may have rival schools, but this is Duke and Carolina. People said the Big Ten has big rivals or the Big 12. I don't care what conference you're talking, there are no rivals like North Carolina and Duke."